


Local Mall Cryptid Saves Man, More at 11

by BorealLights



Series: Mall Cryptid Geralt [1]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Canon-Typical Violence, Cryptid Geralt, M/M, Mild Horror, Pre-Slash, liminal spaces
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:35:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24916957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BorealLights/pseuds/BorealLights
Summary: Jaskier thinks he might be lost. He’s not sure how one gets lost in a mall, but he’s managed it. All around him people bustle by, intent on their shopping, or intent on leaving the pale cream hellscape. The thing is, he’sbeento this mall before. Many times. He was here two weeks ago. But the store names and displays are at best only vaguely familiar. Or maybe he’s just forgotten. That’s probably more likely.Jaskier’s trip to the mall results in an unexpected encounter
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Series: Mall Cryptid Geralt [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1819087
Comments: 51
Kudos: 292
Collections: Best Geralt, Interesting Character and/or Interesting Relationship Development





	Local Mall Cryptid Saves Man, More at 11

Jaskier thinks he might be lost. He’s not sure how one gets lost in a mall, but he’s managed it. All around him people bustle by, intent on their shopping, or intent on leaving the pale cream hellscape. The thing is, he’s _been_ to this mall before. Many times. He was here two weeks ago. But the store names and displays are at best only vaguely familiar. Or maybe he’s just forgotten. That’s probably more likely.

He finally finds an intersection and turns- maybe this hallway leads to the food court, where Priscilla and Zoltan are waiting. All he can see though are the hoards of people shuffling about, the garish signs that hang over store entrances, and those booths that sell things like off brand sunglasses. So he keeps walking, looking for some sort of map. His feet hurt. He really needs to exercise more he thinks, if just a few minutes of walking can make his feet ache.

Instead of the food court, he finds a dead end. Where had the crowds gone? He’s suddenly alone, staring at some closed up superstore, a tattered banner reading “SPIRIT OF HALLOWEEN, COMING SOON” hanging over the old sign. It’s December. He’s also definitely lost.

Jaskier turns around, his sneakers squeaking on the polished floor. He goes back the way he came, eyeing the brightly lit stores dubiously. He’s pretty sure he already passed the Samsung store on his way in… maybe there’s a second one. It’s a big mall. Or at least feels like a big mall.

He can’t see beyond the ornamental islands filled with fake plants (or maybe those are real plants, he doesn’t know), but he’s sure to find the main thoroughfare again. He can hear the muted roar of dozens of people all talking and laughing at once, their feet thudding on the ground. The holiday crowds are always crazy.

But there’s nothing. The next intersection is empty.

Jaskier looks around- he doesn’t see anybody. He picks a direction and begins walking, his heart pounding in his chest. He can still hear people, and they sound like they’re only yards away from him. He begins walking faster, glancing at the stores. He stops.

There’s the Samsung store again.

Part of him is tempted to go in. The rest of him screams at him not to.

He starts walking again.

Still, the roar of people surrounds him, and Jaskier can feel anxiety and fear clawing at his stomach. This obviously isn’t natural, whatever’s happening. He should stay calm. There’s a sudden noise behind him, and all thoughts of staying calm are gone. He bolts, fear taking hold as he takes every intersection he can, adrenaline driving him. He’s so tired though.

He passes by the Samsung store twice more.

Finally, he collapses onto one of the benches, exhausted and shaking. He feels like he’s been running for hours, but the sun is still shining obnoxiously down through the skylights, so it can’t have been hours.

Behind him there’s a rattling hiss, and Jaskier whirls around. Crawling out of the intersection he just came from, with short, jerky movements, is some sort of desiccated corpse. It’s eye sockets are hollow pits, it’s mouth a gaping pit. The thing’s hands end in long, dirty claws, and every single joint is bent backwards. Heaving itself onto hands and feet, it continues crawling forward, back bowed, pushing its stomach (?) towards the ceiling. There’s another rattling hiss as the face (?) turns toward Jaskier. An inhuman wail pierces the air as the thing scuttles forward, faster than Jaskier could run, even if he could move. All he can do is sit, paralyzed as what is doubtlessly going to be his death approaches.

Then a blast of fire incinerates the thing. Or it should, but the monster shakes it off with another wail, scrambling past Jaskier, who, almost helplessly, follows it with his eyes. There’s a man- dressed in black and holding a shining sword. Where had he come from? The creature swipes at him, but the man easily dodges, cutting the offending arm off easily. Jaskier nearly vomits as the creature grows a new one, slashing it across the man’s chest in retaliation.

The liquid (it doesn’t look like blood, but what else can it be?) that pours from the wound isn’t red. It’s a strange, metallic blue-purple color, shimmering in the sunlight like oil. It hisses and bubbles where it coats the monster’s claws, eating away at them until there’s nothing left. While the monster is thusly distracted, the man (is he a man?) takes the vile thing’s head off with a single stroke of his sword. The body convulses several times before collapsing and dissolving into dust. Dust that the man then sets on fire.

Jaskier stares at his savior, then at the burning pile, his brain not comprehending what had just happened. It’s not until the man has sheathed his sword and kicked the ashes apart that things finally come into focus.

“Oh my god,” he breathes, feeling the panic finally swell in his chest. “I… I could have died. What the. What the fuck.”

But before he can really gear up into a proper panic attack, a haze falls over his mind.

“ _You’re safe. The danger is over._ ” Echos in his mind, and he finds himself relaxing as he nods along. There isn’t any need to panic, he’s safe. The feeling of comfort stays even as the haze leaves, and Jaskier blinks placidly at the man who is crouching in front of him. Despite the lingering comfort, chills start to run up his spine, and unease begins to grow in his gut the longer he looks.

It’s not just the unnatural silver hair, almost luminescent pale skin, and the unblinking golden cat eyes. It isn’t just that the man’s limbs seem a hair too long, his fingers ending in short claws. It certainly isn’t the sluggishly leaking wound that’s now closing even as Jaskier watches. It isn’t just how perfectly symmetrical the man’s face is, save for the scar over his eye. All those are creepy, but not truly what made the man feel… dangerous. Other. It takes Jaskier a second to realize that _the man isn’t moving_. Not even to breath. He’s just… staring at Jaskier. An instinctual shudder makes Jaskier hunch his shoulders reflexively.

Jaskier thinks he should be afraid. But he’s not. This unnaturalness feels different. Feels exciting. He takes a deep breath in before inclining his head.

“Thank you… for saving me.” He manages to whisper out before his throat closes, his senses signalling danger despite what his brain tells him, as his mysterious savior finally moves, leaning towards him.

“Where were you going?” The man (Jaskier doesn’t know what else to call him) grumbles, a flash of pearly white fangs in his mouth sending even more shivers down Jaskier’s spine. It takes a second for the question to register.

“Oh! Uh, the food court. If that’s what you were asking?” Jaskier answers, and is startled when the man pulls him to his feet, firmly grasping Jaskier’s hand.

“Close your eyes. Don’t open them until I let go.” The man says, and Jaskier finds himself obeying. He doesn’t know why. Every instinct he has is screaming at him to not trust this… being in front of him, but still, he does. Almost hesitantly, the man begins walking, gently tugging on Jaskier’s hand until he follows. They don’t walk for very long- the sounds of people get louder as they walk, and Jaskier swears that once or twice somebody brushes by him. But he doesn’t open his eyes.

Finally, the sounds start to echo, like they just entered a big room, and his hand is released. Hesitantly, Jaskier opens his eyes, then blinks several times in shock. He’s standing at the entrance to the food court, surrounded by people. Relief courses through his veins, and he gives the man a wobbly smile. The man just grunts in reply.

“If it happens again, call out for Geralt, and I’ll come.” Before Jaskier can thank him, he disappears into the crowd. Jaskier stares after him in wonder and confusion… as well as a little bit of fear and awe as well. Jaskier has no desire to have a repeat of what has just happened, and is in fact sure that it’s going to haunt his dreams for weeks to come… but he doesn’t think he’d mind seeing Geralt again.

**Author's Note:**

> I’m not very good at writing situational horror, but I tried,,, I hope you enjoyed
> 
> Fun Fact: There’s a mall about an hour away from me that has two Sprint stores in it, and I also got lost in it once when I was very little.
> 
> Please comment, I crave validation.
> 
> Find me on Tumblr!  
> [Regular Blog](https://howdoistormspirit.tumblr.com)  
> [Writing Blog](https://borealwrites.tumblr.com)


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